Dan Haren: Climbing out of a hole

D-backs' injuries have put them in rough shape

We've dug ourselves a big enough hole that pretty much every game is of equal importance at this point. We can't let ourselves fall back any further.

Despite that hole, I think there have been some positives, starting with Justin Upton. He's putting together an All-Star first half. At the start of the season, there was talk about sending him down, and now there is talk about him playing in the All-Star Game.

Justin has done a great job, but our team, on the whole, has been hurt by some injuries. Two of our best position players have been hurt. Stephen Drew, our shortstop, is just coming off an injury, and it can take you a little while to get going once you come back. Conor Jackson, who was our three-hole hitter last year and hit .300, is out right now.

On the starting staff, Brandon Webb has been out much of the year. That's really hurt us. Hopefully, we get him back. If we do that, and we win some games in the meanwhile, maybe we can get rolling and get ourselves back in the race.

I don't mean for injuries to be an excuse, as we have had guys come up and fill the roles, but it's hard to replace guys like Stephen Drew, Conor Jackson and Brandon Webb. We have to find a way to tread water until they can get back and get back completely healthy.

With Webb out, it's even more important that the rest of us on the pitching staff don't put too much pressure on ourselves. No one guy can shoulder the load of Webby being out. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball. We've had our good games, and we've had our bad games.

Fellow starter Jon Garland has four wins, and Doug Davis has pitched better than his record. Max Scherzer has pitched some great games as well. Guys have come up and filled roles, but there is simply no way to replace a guy like Brandon Webb.

For me, I feel pretty good right now. People can look to my numbers, but numbers are really only important in September. I think I've thrown the ball well, and I've given us a chance to win most times out. That's all I really try to do.

When I go out there, hopefully the team behind me believes they're going to win the game. That's what's important to me.

Dan Haren, 4-4 with a 2.42 ERA, leads the Majors with a 0.86 WHIP and .201 opponent batting average entering Sunday's start against the Padres. Haren won a career-high 16 games last season, and his next win will be the 70th of his career.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.